Protected individuals policy

1 Introduction

The trust welcomes official visits by very important persons (VIPs), celebrities and other officials from time to time and provides access to a range of services including inpatient areas and community bases. VIP or celebrity visits can play a positive role in promoting our services, enriching patients’ experience and motivating staff. Therefore, the trust will take practical measures to ensure robust arrangements are in place to organise and manage external very important person (VIP) or celebrity visits safely and minimise disruption.

The trust aims to support and accommodate such visits wherever possible. However, we recognise our responsibility to maintain the safety and security as well as the privacy and dignity of patients, families, carers, friends and staff during visits.

Additionally, from time to time the trust may treat VIP’s, celebrities or high-profile individuals as both out-patients or in-patients. In these circumstances the trust will take practical measures to ensure robust arrangements are in place to organise and manage such situations both safely and with minimise disruption.

2 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure there is a framework in place to arrange and manage planned visits for very important persons or celebrities. These visits may involve access to a range of services and facilities across the trust including inpatient services, community settings and corporate services and facilities.

Additionally, it will ensure that the risk to the safety and security of patients and staff arising from very important person visits to the trust is minimised and that a process is in place for reviewing visits that have taken place. The policy also sets out how an unannounced visit should be dealt with.

3 Scope

The trust cares for many vulnerable patients and service users and therefore has a duty to safeguard them from any form of abuse or psychological grooming. This policy has, therefore, taken into consideration the recommendations arising from the Lampard report “Themes and lessons learnt from NHS investigations into matters relating to Jimmy Savile”.

The trust also recognises the need to ensure that any visits do not have a detrimental effect on the provision of clinical services or reputation and takes practical steps to organise and manage arranged visits with the minimum disruption to the high-quality care provided by trust staff.

The majority of very important person (VIP) and celebrity visits will be one-off events therefore safeguarding arrangements will be proportionately applied to the risks identified in the planning stages. Where official visitors have a longer-term involvement with the trust, they may be subject to the trust’s appointment processes, disclosure and barring and security checks.

This document provides a framework to be followed for arranging and managing planned visits for a VIP or celebrity either as a visitor to the trust or as a patient. These visits may involve access to a range of services and facilities including inpatient services, community settings and corporate services. As such, it will ensure that the risk to the safety, security, privacy, dignity and confidentiality of patients and staff is controlled and minimised where possible and clinical care not compromised.

This policy is not concerned with people visiting friends or family members in hospital unless they are a VIP or celebrity.

4 Roles and responsibilities

4.1 Executive team

The executive team is responsible for:

assessing the very important person (VIP), celebrity or high-profile individual risks to the trust, all patients and staff prior to approval of all VIP or celebrity visitors to the trust
nominate a lead executive director for each specific VIP or celebrity visit

4.2 Lead executive director

The lead executive director is responsible for:

holding overall responsibility for the arrangement and monitoring of all very important persons (VIPs) or celebrity visitors to the trust
assessing the requirements of visits and overseeing appropriate arrangements
liaising with the trust’s communications team to ensure any required internal and or external communication plans are in place. This includes ensuring that protected individuals, including those under police or embassy protection, are accounted for in these arrangements and considering their placement as inpatients and the implementation of protective measures, such as codewords or passwords for accessing information electronically via phone, tablet, or laptop
ensuring staff understand their roles and responsibilities
providing informal feedback and briefings on the outcomes of the visit to the executive team and other members of the board

4.3 Communications

The communications team are responsible for:

receiving and managing internal requests for very important person (VIP) or celebrity visits ensuring they are approved by the chief executive or relevant executive director
alerting the executive team to requested VIP or celebrity visits to the trust
informing other organisations as appropriate (for example, local integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities, NHS England)
providing briefings to the executive team, lead executive director and other internal and external stakeholders, as appropriate, for planned VIP or celebrity visits and their potential impact or media activity
working with other organisations, if relevant, regarding the visit arrangements, for example, Buckingham Palace or the Department of Health.
arranging VIP or celebrity photographs and or media calls if appropriate or required
identifying appropriate spokespeople for quotes and interviews and issuing responses to the media
ensuring all VIP or celebrity visits are handled effectively and responsibly
ensure a trust register of approved official visitors for the purposes of inspection and review is maintained

4.4 Events coordinator

The events coordinator will work with the head of communications to organise the visit for very important persons and celebrities to ensure the visit is planned and coordinated.

5 Procedure for a very important person or celebrity visit

5.1 Obtaining agreement for a visit

The policy requires that official visits are always formally approved, and visitors are accompanied throughout the visit to the trust.

For planned very important person (VIP) or celebrity visits the chief executive is the first person to be notified of the request and would authorise consent to the visit.

Once the visit has been approved, the head of communications or events coordinator should approach the relevant care group who will work with them to arrange the visit. The care group or corporate services director will then discuss this with the service to ensure that the visit is appropriate.

5.2 Planning the visit

Once a visit has been approved, the visit host (for example, care group director, deputy care group director, corporate heads of service or nominated individual) will work with the head of communications (there should be no more than 2 visitors attending at any one time) to arrange the visit and complete the following:

if it is considered necessary, draft a programme for the visit, including timings and format or route
identify the number of visitors and determine that it is appropriate, for example, usually no more than two visitors. For any visits proposing more than two a specific discussion should be held with the care group director
the host will conduct a risk assessment to identify and mitigate any possible issues around privacy and dignity, safeguarding and confidentiality
this is to ensure VIP’s or celebrities do not compromise patient care, unduly inconvenience staff or patients or breach patient confidentiality
there should be some flexibility in planning so that you can determine when a VIP needs special management. This could also include visits after an incident to check on staff or patients who were involved

The trust follows the government Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) eligibility guidance tool (opens in new window) to ensure that we meet the appropriate regulations and can only undertake DBS checks for staff employed by the trust or volunteers who would undertake regulated activities with patients.  Visiting would not be classed as a regulated activity. As the majority of VIP or celebrity visits to the trust are “one off” events a disclosure and barring (DBS) check is not required, therefore the approved visitors must be accompanied at all times.

Inform relevant colleagues of the visit. This may also include the trust security advisor, who, if appropriate will undertake a risk assessment to determine the appropriate level of additional resources or control measures that may be required. Risk assessments should include the likelihood of uninvited photographers and fans who are attracted by the presence of a VIP or celebrity.
The Logistics team will organise parking arrangements and cordon off any areas.
The events coordinator will arrange the welcome and who will accompany the visitors (designated chaperone) at all times while on trust premises. To ensure adequate supervision is maintained at all times the number of visitors will be restricted, usually no more than two visitors. For any visits proposing more than two visitors, permission should be sought from the care group director in advance of the visit.

For very important persons (VIPs):

the head of communications or events coordinator will work with other organisations, if relevant, regarding the visit arrangements for example, Buckingham Palace or the Department of Health
the events coordinator will make arrangements for hospitality (any refreshments required)
the events coordinator will work on an appropriate invitation list

The care group director (or nominated individual) will identify patients who will be involved in the visit, gaining their consent (or guardian’s consent dependent on patients’ status and capacity) to be involved. The consent process will explain the nature of the visit and what to expect. If there is likely to be photographs the patient will be asked if they consent to being photographed and will be asked to sign a consent form which will be stored in their clinical records.

The head of communications will arrange VIP’s photographs and, or media calls if appropriate or required.
If the care group director (or nominated individual) considers it inappropriate for the visit to go ahead due to a clinical need or risk, for example then the visit may be cancelled, even on the day.

5.3 Prior to the visit

Prior to the visit all approved very important persons (VIPs) and celebrities should be briefed with regard to safeguarding procedures, infection prevention and control, privacy and dignity and the expected standards of behaviour policies and procedures required during the visit where appropriate, by the visit organiser.

5.4 During the visit

Upon arrival at trust premises, all visitors will be met by a member of staff which may be a clinical leader, manager or executive director. The member of staff will ensure the visitor is logged with the Communications team and that a visitor badge is issued.

Very important persons (VIPs) and celebrities must be accompanied at all times by the designated chaperone, who will stay with them from the time they enter the trust site to the time they leave the site. They should not have access to treatment or bathroom areas or observe any intimate care.

The agreed programme for the visit should be adhered to as closely as possible. This includes only meeting or visiting patients who have already given consent to meeting VIPs or celebrities. This may be essential for a variety of reasons including security.

VIPs or celebrities should be briefed with regard to safeguarding procedures (refer to safeguarding adult policy and safeguarding children policy), infection prevention and control (for example, bare below the elbows: refer to standard precautions policy, eliminating mixed sex accommodation and maintaining privacy, dignity and respect policy and the expected standards of behaviour required during the visit where appropriate, by the visit organiser.

If media or wider security are present for a VIP or celebrity visit a member of the Communications team will accompany them at all times while on trust premises to ensure their safe management in-line with trust plans, policies, and procedures.

If a trust spokesperson is required for the media, they will have been briefed in advance on the visit or topic of interview by the head of communications.

5.4.1 Reporting concerns

If during any visit, the behaviour of the visitor gives cause for any concern for example causing upset or distress to patients it should be brought to the attention of the chaperone and the visit brought to an end immediately.

In the event of a serious incident, follow the serious incident policy (staff access only) (opens in new window) or contact the patient safety, carer and community lead for advice.

5.5 Following a visit for a very important person or celebrity

The communications team will write, seeking approval for a press release (if required) and monitor media coverage of the visit.

The visit host will draft a thank-you letter to the very important person or celebrity for the visit. This will be shared with the relevant care group director and chief executive or chair, if appropriate.

A debrief will take place with the staff involved in the visit. Shared learning from this debrief should extend across all staff within the trust to prepare staff for future visits to their service, area or department.

5.6 Unannounced visits

If a very important person or celebrity attempts to undertake a visit without any prior notice, the person in charge of the clinical area should be immediately contacted, they will speak to the people attempting to visit and will deny them access. Within office hours the communications team must be notified immediately. The visitor should be kept in the reception or the ward nursing station until a member of the communications team arrives.

If the attempted visit occurs outside normal working hours and especially at weekends, the person in charge of the clinical area should contact the on-call manager for advice. The visitors should be denied access and asked to wait in the reception until a senior member of staff is available.

6 Procedure for treating a very important person, celebrity or high-profile individual as an inpatient

The trust occasionally cares for high profile patients including very important persons (VIPs), celebrities or prisoners in custody, who can be the subject of intense media interest. Despite their profile they are entitled to the same level of confidentiality as other patients and their privacy and dignity must be protected. It is therefore likely that special arrangements will need to be made, and extra vigilance applied to help protect their privacy and safety and that of the other patients under the trust care.

6.1 Planning the admission

Once the clinical decision to admit a very important person, celebrity or high-profile individual as an inpatient has been taken. The appropriate bed management team must inform the chief executive’s office and communications team as soon as it becomes apparent that there is a patient in trust premises who could attract media attention.

The communications team will work with clinical teams to ensure media interest is managed effectively, and that patient confidentiality is protected.

Where a planned admission is taking place a planning team meeting will take place to discuss aspects of the admission. This will ensure it goes without any foreseeable problems.

6.2 During the admission

During the time whilst the trust is treating a very important person, celebrity or high-profile individual as an inpatient, wards may experience an increase in calls as the press and or general public attempting to find out the location of the high-profile patient and information about their care. Reception and ward staff must be prepared for such approaches and should refer any suspicious calls to the communications team, trust security advisor.

Staff should also be aware that some colleagues, patients, visitors and general members of the public may try to use personal devices to capture photos, video footage or audio clips of high-profile patients. The use of such devices to record patients in wards and departments without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

Staff should remain aware that high profile patients can draw significant press and public interest throughout their time in hospital. This may result in members of the press or public attempting to gain access to wards or departments. Members of the public or the media may decide to bring in person gifts for high profile patients to the hospital in an attempt to gain access to the patient. To prevent people accessing the ward, such gifts should be accepted and logged by staff on the relevant hospital Reception and then discussed with the relevant manager who will arrange for them to be delivered to the ward.

On wards where high profile patients are present, extra care should be taken by staff to ensure that only legitimate visitors are allowed onto wards and that staff identification is checked appropriately. Additional security may be necessary which can be arranged in consultation with the trust security advisor and estates team.

6.2.1 Reporting concerns

If during the admission, any concern for example causing upset or distress to patients occurs it should be brought to the attention of the relevant care group leadership team immediately.

In the event of a serious incident, follow the serious incident policy (staff access only) (opens in new window) or contact the head of patient safety for advice.

6.3 Following the treatment of a very important person, celebrity or high-profile individual as an inpatient

A debrief will take place with the staff involved in the admission. Shared learning from this debrief should extend across all staff within the trust to prepare staff for future visits to their service, area or department.

7 Major incident

Following a major incident, there may be patients in whom the media has great interest and for the purposes of external communication they are also defined as very important persons (VIPs).

During the recovery stage of a major incident, visits by VIPs and celebrities can be anticipated. A government minister may visit the scene or areas affected to mark public concern and to report to parliament on the current situation. Depending upon the scale of the incident, visits by members of the royal family and Prime Minister may take place. Local very important person (VIP) visitors may include religious leaders, local members of parliament (MPs), mayors and local authority leaders.

If foreign nationals are involved, their country’s ambassador, high commissioner or other dignitaries may visit. Visiting ministers and other VIPs will require comprehensive briefings before the visit and will require briefings before any meetings with the media.

VIPs are likely to want to meet patients who are well enough and prepared to see them. This will be dependent upon medical advice and respect for the wishes of individual patients and their relatives. In the case of such visits to hospitals it is common for VIP or celebrity interviews to take place at the hospital entrance to cover how patients and medical staff are coping.

The trust representatives, including a member of the communications team and the local service leader, should remain with the approved visitor throughout the visit.

8 Training implications

8.1 How to implement this policy

Staff will be made aware of this policy through daily communications and monthly edition of trust matters, which is communicated electronically. All care group directors, care group nurse directors, deputy care group directors, head of corporate services managers or modern matrons need to ensure the policy is explained at team meetings. Those who manage staff on ward areas and those without access to a computer should make them aware of this policy.

8.2 Training needs

There are no specific training needs in relation to this policy, but the following staff will need to be familiar with its contents: head of communications, communications team, chief nurse, head of patient engagement and experience and events coordinator.

As a trust policy, all staff need to be aware of the key points that the policy covers. Staff can be made aware through this policy. If they need support, they can ring the communications team.

9 Monitoring arrangements

The communications team and the events coordinator will ensure the policy is adhered to. After each visit, the communications team will arrange a debrief with staff involved to see what went well or what could have gone better in a bid to improve future visit experiences.

Shared learning from this debrief will extend across all staff groups via the trust organisational learning networks, this will support staff with future visits to their service area.

10 Equality impact assessment screening

To access the equality impact assessment for this policy, please email rdash.equalityanddiversity@nhs.net to request the document.

10.1 Privacy, dignity and respect

The NHS Constitution states that all patients should feel that their privacy and dignity are respected while they are in hospital. High Quality Care for All (2008), Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS, identifies the need to organise care around the individual, “not just clinically but in terms of dignity and respect”.

As a consequence, the trust is required to articulate its intent to deliver care with privacy and dignity that treats all service users with respect. Therefore, all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant, to reflect the requirement to treat everyone with privacy, dignity and respect, (when appropriate this should also include how same sex accommodation is provided).

10.1.1 How this will be met

Any patients involved in governor visits should have given consent prior to the visit via the manager of the ward or service

10.2 Mental Capacity Act (2005)

Central to any aspect of care delivered to adults and young people aged 16 years or over will be the consideration of the individuals’ capacity to participate in the decision-making process. Consequently, no intervention should be carried out without either the individual’s informed consent, or the powers included in a legal framework, or by order of the court.

Therefore, the trust is required to make sure that all staff working with individuals who use our service are familiar with the provisions within the Mental Capacity Act (2005). For this reason all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant to reflect the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) to ensure that the rights of individual are protected and they are supported to make their own decisions where possible and that any decisions made on their behalf when they lack capacity are made in their best interests and least restrictive of their rights and freedoms.

10.2.1 How this will be met

All individuals involved in the implementation of this policy should do so in accordance with the guiding principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

Anyone involved in a governor visit will have given consent (if possible) prior to the visit. If they are not capable of giving consent, they will not be part of the visit unless their guardian has granted the consent.

11 Links to any other associated documents

12 References

Lampard report Themes and lessons learnt from NHS investigations into matters relating to Jimmy Savile (February 2015).

Document control

Version: 4.
Unique reference number: 33.
Approved by: Clinical effectiveness group.
Date approved: 1 April 2025.
Name of originator or author: Head of communications.
Name of responsible individual: Director of strategic development.
Date issued: 3 April 2025.
Review date: 30 April 2028.
Target audience: All staff.

Page last reviewed: April 08, 2025
Next review due: April 08, 2026

Problem with this page?

Please tell us about any problems you have found with this web page.

Report a problem

Contents